FIG. 1D illustrates a known ratchet mechanism for a quick connector. The pin 851 has ridges 859 formed on the exterior. The connector 841 has latches 849 capable of latching with the ridges 859 allowing the pins 851 to be inserted into the connector 841 but preventing removal of the pin 851.
For example, a Gamma™ nail system is known that has an operative technique to repair fractures in a femur, a femoral neck and the like. An x-ray template or goniometer is used to pre-operatively plan the insertion of a nail into a cavity formed in the femur. This procedure reams the femur, extends the nail into the reamed cavity in the femur, and then the nail is used with a targeting device and a wire to drill a hole into the femoral neck that precisely locates a lag screw through a hole in the nail at an angle that extends through the femoral neck and into the femoral head. The position of the lag screw must be either central or in the lower half of the femoral head in the frontal plane and on the midline in the lateral plane. The depth of the lag screw is determined from a measurement of the depth of a guide wire inserted into the femoral head through the nail to a depth observed by x-rays. This procedure requires many steps to form the hole and to insert and fix the lag screw, which make the procedure time consuming and difficult to accomplish successfully even for a skilled surgeon who has performed many operations using the procedure.
The Mitek Milagro™ Interference Screw may be used for attachment of soft tissue grafts or bone-tendon-bone grafts to the tibia and/or femur during cruciate ligament reconstruction procedures. This interference screw contains Bioacryl Rapide™ that combines osteoconductive TriCalcium phosphate and a faster, resorbing polymer. This screw has the ability to absorb and enhance bone growth.
Other procedures are known that use multiple lag screws for fixation, which increases the difficulty of these procedures and increases the chances of an error and damaging or fracturing of the femoral head or neck of the patient. One system, the Oasys™ System of Stryker® is a system for repairing fractures of the occipito-cervico-thoracic spine are modular, improving the flexibility in use of the system, the system remains complex with many parts that need to be individually placed and tightened using threads that may loosen over time.
There is a long standing unresolved need for efficient and effective methods and devices for use in emergency and elective surgeries to repair and replace damaged bones and joints.